1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved sealing arrangement for a housing that provides predetermined deformation of a sealing member to establish desired sealing characteristics while accomodating dimensional variations of the housing, a clamping element, and the mounting locations thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various sealing arrangements are utilized in the prior art that utilize gaskets and the like to provide a seal. However, the housing or other member to be sealed and the clamping element present tolerances that affect the sealing characteristics. In order to eliminate this effect, the parts can be graded and selectively assembled. Alternatively, selected shims can be installed during assembly. While these procedures may be generally effective, they require additional assembly time and in many instances provide only an approximation to the desired sealing characteristics.